Interested to learn more about incredible women of History? With over 10 years of experience, 170+ shows, and covering women from all over the world, The History Chicks podcast is a great place to start.
We asked Beckett Graham and Susan Vollenweider, co-hosts and founders of The History Chicks, to share their favorite episodes and chicks.
Beckett's Favorite Chicks and Episodes.
1. Josephine Baker (Episodes 34 and 35)
Her story really blindsided me, I was very surprised by a lot of it that I didn’t know because I just knew her on the surface.
2. Typhoid Mary (Episode 149)
It’s good to know the full story of a phrase that is being bandied about quite regularly in the news and on social media.
3. Fannie Lou Hamer (Episode 154)
She is so relevant for today and she’s a massive figure in the civil rights movement that most people don’t learn about in school.
4. Wonder Woman (Episode 164 and 165)
Wonder Woman because there are so many different elements to that story and it involved girl power on a lot of levels.
5. Aunt Jemima (Episode 155)
Aunt Jemima because her history goes way way back to the 1800s it has quite a lot of nuances that I thought needed to be brought forward to understand why a brand might consider, even at such a late date, removing such a figure from their product.
Susan's Favorite Chicks and Episodes
1. Annie Londonderry (Episode 123)
She was a woman that few have heard of that did one really remarkable thing in her life: she was the right woman at the right stage of her life at the right moment in time to solo ride a bike around the world. It was one of the most fun conversations we’ve had.
2. Ella Fitzgerald (Episode 18 and 170)
I always liked her music, but after researching and talking about her I deeply admire her as a person, she had a quiet strength that I feel even now.
3. Beatrix Potter (Episode 64 and 106)
She was so true to herself, knew her passions early on, and although she did have doors closed to her because she was a woman, she lived her life exactly how she wanted despite societal pressures
4. Fannie Lou Hamer (Episode 154)
I didn’t know much about her going in, she wasn’t mentioned in my schools even when we were learning about the Civil Rights movement--but she was such an important part of it that it was an honor to get to share her story. I don’t say that about all our subjects. Sure, I enjoy covering their lives, I’m delighted that we get to bring them to people, but Fannie Lou and Mary Church Terrell are two that I felt honored to share.
5. Mary Church Terrell (Episode 144 and 146)
She was born the year the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, died the year US schools were desegregated and, in between, worked for civil rights. She had a very full life of activism but isn’t as well known as she should be.
To check out all of these episodes and more along with the show notes and resources, visit thehistorychicks.com. You can also find their podcast on Wonderfy, Spotify, Apply Podcasts, and where else get your podcasts.